News & Events

Dear Parents,

Here at St Martin de Porres School we want our children to Flourish, and our families to Flourish.

This week sees the start of the children’s Term 3 School Sport Program. This will include the Mid-week and Saturday morning sports of Netball, Basketball, Soccer and AFL as well as the Catholic School’s Sports Association Carnivals of Netball, Cross Country and Touch. Here at St Martin’s we encourage children to participate in team and school sporting opportunities and we can’t do it without parent support.

There is much to be gained by children and families in their active participation in sport. The obvious health and skill development has been well documented over the years and is still very relevant but there is an aspect that I would like to highlight as something that I know develops and why in all the schools that I have worked in over the years I have been a strong and active promoter of children’s involvement in sport (I have actually coached a school team every year in my 41 years in teaching). ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN A TEAM BUILDS CHARACTER AND PERSONALITY.

When a parent encourages a child to play a sport they end up in a team. This team means

• teammates,
• opposition players
• a coach,
• an umpire,
• rules of the game,
• rules of the team,
• discipline
• practise to get better,
• new skills, hard work,
• learning gameplay strategy,
• celebration of success (individual and team),
• understanding the emotions of losing and disappointment; and
• community participation through volunteering to help others.

The experience of a school team also helps a child to begin their human experience about respect and difference – essential values of a good citizen. Children at school get along better because they are now more than class or school mates, they are teammates.

Good coaching develops attitudes that encourage:

• practice for success;
• respect for umpires;
• playing by the rules;
• acknowledging the successful development and skills of all players; and
• TEAM – there is no game without a team.

In Primary School team sport the emphasis should always be on player development as part of a team. Scores and scoring are an essential part of all games. However the score is not the only success measure that should be acknowledged.

Here at St Martin’s I am really impressed with our parent coaches/manager. Their commitment and positive attitudes to the children and the school are to be congratulated. They personally give up their time to make sure we have teams. Make sure you thank them and get your children to thank them.

I really love watching the games of the children that are played at school during recess and lunch. I love seeing the growth in confidence as they progress through the year(s). The team sport environment often accelerates this development. As does the community club environment. I love the conversations I can have with children about their participation and I often acknowledge the students who take their participation in school teams out into the local community and participate there – Dance, Gymnastics, Martial Arts, Coding, AFL, Soccer, Basketball, Netball, Surf Lifesaving, Cycling, BMX, Motocross and Marbles. All of his is what helps a community Flourish.

COVID 19 Protocols
Could all adults, connected with St Martin de Porres School, at games this week and beyond please observe the Protocols as outlined by the various sports. Each venue may have their own special additions to the general protocols which are:

• Individual drink bottles for players.
• 1.5m distancing from non-family members.
• Signing in where asked.
• Following directions from venue owners.

God Bless and see you all next week. Yay!!
Craig Fosdike